La Niña Bad for Winter Wheat, Rippey Notes

What does the La Niña weather pattern have to do with condition ratings for the current winter wheat crop?

"La Niña does not particularly bode well for the outcome," said USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey. "We oftentimes see dry spring weather across the central and southern great plains.  They would include some of the key winter wheat production areas.  From Nebraska and Kansas and Colorado, southward.

"Unless something were to happen, such as an abrupt ending of La Nina, or some type of other weather pattern overwhelms the La Niña signal, or influence, on weather patterns, we are expected to continue to see dryer than normal condition on through the spring growing season across the southern half, at least, of the great plains," Rippey continued.

Meanwhile, this is the second winter in a row La Nina is present.​

"We've seen La Niña hitting full maturity.  There may be some indications that weakening may begin within weeks, or, at most, a couple of months.

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